NRL Player

Not a meninga hater but bloody hell he cant be serious picking the same side. They will probably win (due to the lack of halves tonga have) and this will be used to justify picking these players again for another 3 or 4 years...

Hunt is benifitting greatly from the michael morgan-rule (play enough games and chances are you will eventually play a good game, totally justifying the 3-4 years spent “developing” you by taking up a spot in the team whilst doing nothing, or in hunts case playing abysmal-disaster prone footy). This rule works, when you have c smith, lockyer or thurston to pull your teams ass out of the fire...

Turbo’s attacking prowess is massively blunted at centre, its wing or fb or nothing for mine. If gagai cant defend their at least swap them around in attack and then tell gagai to pass the ball.

Woods cant make the starting side of the sharks without injury but hes good enough for the australian side? Ridiculous. I think meninga is a good rep coach who does what he needs to do to get the players to play to their best at that level-no more- but he will need to get his act together big time without future immortals no longer saving games every year..

Everyone in that Australia 17 is playing for a future jersey. If they lose against Tonga, I could see over half that team missing out on future Kangaroos selection. Under that pressure, the Australians have to rise to the occasion.

They will have their work cut out for them, that Tonga side means serious business.

I've never been this excited by a standalone Test match. Usually they're another day, another Australian victory but this game is going to be a defining moment in a lot of player's careers.

International Rep

Everyone in that Australia 17 is playing for a future jersey. If they lose against Tonga, I could see over half that team missing out on future Kangaroos selection. Under that pressure, the Australians have to rise to the occasion.

They will have their work cut out for them, that Tonga side means serious business.

I've never been this excited by a standalone Test match. Usually they're another day, another Australian victory but this game is going to be a defining moment in a lot of player's careers.

Following on from your list: Kalyn Ponga, Michael Morgan, Wade Graham, Josh Addo-Carr, Blake Ferguson, Anthony Milford etc. The Australian selectors won't have to look far for alternatives. So if any of these players are under the illusion that they've booked their spot for the 2021 World Cup, they're in for a rude awakening.

I don't believe the selectors picked a bad squad either. There are a few incumbents who can consider themselves lucky but the selectors are obviously trying to build a culture. For all this talk of how Mal can't coach, he sure built a brilliant culture at the Maroons.

QCup Player

to a degree, but I seriously struggle to find a decent front row pair and rotation out of whos available for Aust. Is Vaughn the only non available option that would challenge our ordinary front row? Can't think of anyone really missing out, which for me is a big part of why NZ beat us last week... no go forward at all.

to a degree, but I seriously struggle to find a decent front row pair and rotation out of whos available for Aust. Is Vaughn the only non available option that would challenge our ordinary front row? Can't think of anyone really missing out, which for me is a big part of why NZ beat us last week... no go forward at all.

If Matt Lodge can keep his nose clean and continue to improve as he did throughout 2018, he'll be there. The other guy who I think is capable, but needs a big off-season is Junior Paulo. Paulo was one of the best front row forwards in the game in 2016 and one of the most fearsome ball carriers in the game. If he can get back to that kind of form, he'd have to be considered for the rotation.

I don't share the concern with our current middle forwards. The problem with Australia is that they had 31% of the football in the first half and the Kiwis were just better drilled with the football. The forwards struggled somewhat early in the second half, but I'd put that down to a poor bench rotation than anything else. The Kangaroos needed more size on the paddock and having Woods, Trbojevic and Frizell all in the middle at the same time prevented Australia from making the inroads they needed.

Granted if Australia put in another poor performance, I can see the likes of McLean & Woods coming under heavy fire. Klemmer will retain his place because he's the best meat and potatoes prop in the game.

I think (hope) your underestimating the passion, pride & commitment of our Island neighborhoods.
IMO Tonga are single handedly changing & lifting the profile of international RL. I take my hat off to them. I'm grateful to be more excited about an international game for as long as I can remember.
Go Tonga!